50 years of AA, preferential hiring, preferential scholarships, and social service programs prove, there is no ‘cement’ ceiling. Opportunity oozes in America. There is, however, a motivation ceiling, and people like Rahim build it.
You’re right; the Irish struggled when they arrived here, and realized they’d have to work their way up (and they did). Affirmative action “normalizes” inferior performance by blacks (and other preferred minorities); they will never thrive as long as the government regards them as “boys”...